Friday, December 31, 2010

Year End Summary

I am going to leave what I consider a not so fabulous year on a good note in the form of my 5 favorite photos from 2010. These shots are not my attempt at becoming an expert photographer, but those with the best memories behind them.

Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Where to Stay in Italy

Version 20.10

The View from Poggio ai Santi

With 2010 coming to an end, over 25 private trips planned and several of my own research "adventures", I am pleased to share my Italian accommodations picks of the year (starting in the north and ending in the super south).

Grand Duca di York

Milano

A lovely 3-star hotel in the heart of Milan, just a 3 minute walk to the Duomo. Good size (and exceptionally clean!) room and modern bathrooms.

Upscale, beautifully decorated, top notch service (oh the breakfasts!) and what I refer to as my “little sanctuary in the north”. Diana and Micha have created a really special place to stay in the heart of Piemonte wine country.

Serenity, tranquility and comfort in this Tuscan seaside estate near San Vincenzo. Love the spacious suites (with mini-kitchens in an armoire!). The restaurant, Il Sale, is wonderful. You almost don’t need to leave the property!

What a special place in the hills above Assisi! Simple but lovely rooms and gorgeous views. Be sure to sign up for one of the owner’s (the lovely Letizia) cooking classes. She is a WHIZ in the kitchen!

This is a great pick for those who want to be in the Via Veneto area and have a wide range of modern amenities (even an indoor pool!). Rooms are classy. comfortable and (usually) well-priced for a 4-star hotel in an expensive city.

One of the finest hotels not only in Puglia, but all of Italy. It is 5-star luxury without any pomp and circumstance. All rooms come with a fireplace and private patio (some even with small pools). It’s “sister” hotel, Torre Coccaro, is just a kilometer away (also noteworthy) where you can enjoy their spa and beach club.

Another personal favorite, this gorgeous masseria offers both bed & breakfast rooms and 4 lovely apartments around a lush garden and pool area just outside fabulous Ostuni. The owners are warm and helpful (a welcome aperitivo is a must!) and the location is excellent for exploring the area.

This elegant, family run hotel was actual the family home until a few years ago. It is located in Modica alto, but you can easily meander down the old baroque streets into the historical center. They have two restaurants, one of which has been awarded with a Michelin 1 star (Gazza Ladra).

An oasis in a rather unattractive area, but if you are traveling by car and want to see the Valley of the Temples (or do a little wine tasting at Morgante), this is the place to stay. It is a working olive oil farm (and Giuseppe will be happy to show you around it and offer you some fabulous “green gold” to try!). They also serve wonderful homemade dinners. If a cassata has been made, you cannot resist it!

A brand new “locanda” from the Planeta family featuring a fantastic (and huge!) kitchen, fabulous herb garden, charming rooms and a sea view. Make sure to visit their wonderful winery, Ulmo, located about a 30 minute drive away.

NUMERO UNO, heaven on earth, where you could put me for the rest of my life. Ok, I may be exaggerating a little, but I love this hotel and this island. There is an incredible sense of peace and relaxation here (both at the hotel and on the island itself). Signum is family run but also includes a robust staff of wonderful people who seem to love their jobs and love helping the guests. There is a superb restaurant specializing in Sicilian dishes with a twist (I will never forget the sublime raw anchovies mixed with honey and pistacchios!). They also a terrific spa with turkish sauna and several different natural thermal baths. Rooms vary in style and price, but everyone can enjoy the extensive gardens and magnificent views. 4-star but a perfect 10 in my opinion.

Thursday, December 23, 2010

Friday, December 17, 2010

Winter Wonderland

on the Italian Riviera

This is a rare sight. Liguria is know for its supposed “balmy” weather, but right now we are experiencing a whole different kind of fall/winter. After 6 weeks of almost non-stop rain, then one week of gorgeous, sunny but super frigid weather, we now have SNOW!

It won’t last and that’s a good thing for people trying to get to and from work (or like my husband, drive around for work), but it is kind of fun!

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

My friend, Di, artist and innkeeper extraordinaire up in Piemonte wrote a good blog post about Living in Italy and a few simple lessons to making it, well, a bit simpler. I plan add a few of my own self-learned lessons shortly, but for now, enjoy!

Wednesday, December 08, 2010

Country Chic on the Riviera

This is one of our favorite properties in Liguria, specifically located in the hills above La Spezia. Villa Maggiano was recently restored with the utmost taste and style. There are 4 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms, a fully-equipped kitchen, dining room, living room and a large, gorgeous terrace for sun bathing or dining al fresco. In addition, the villa has many extra comforts such as satellite TV and Wifi.

The villa is less than a 10 minute drive to La Spezia and its wonderful daily market and charming “pedestrian only” downtown as well as the train station and port (ferries run April - November). It is a wonderful mixture of sea and country and perfect for families or couples.

I immediately let out a shrill of disgust at my computer (as if would reach the the tour company from cyber space, ha!), then sat back and begin to think about this marathon vacation. In one day they plan to go from Florence to visit Bologna then Padova and eventually end up in Venice. Now that’s just crazy. Actually, I’ll take it a step further...that’s just irresponsible travel.

While I realize and empathize with the fact that Americans have very limited vacation time, it needs to be stated loud and clear that:

VACATION SHOULD BE ABOUT QUALITY NOT QUANTITY.

Yes, Italy has almost too much to offer, but the above will make it nothing more than a blur. Here are some suggestions to avoid travel suicide:

With one week, choose no more than 2 destinations, but ideally just one. You will be amazed at how much to can do and see from a villa in Tuscany, or taking nearby day trips.

With a two week vacation, choose no more than 4 destinations (2-3 being more ideal). Otherwise, you start spending more time getting from point A to point B, rather than enjoying where you are.

Do not think you have to “conquer” the Big Three (Rome, Florence and Venice). Mixing a city with a few days in the countryside or the sea gives you very different perspectives of Italian lifestyle. Mixing one city, one countryside area and one seaside resort in 2 weeks is excellent in my opinion (May - September).

Do not cram tour after tour into each destination. If in Rome, sure, do a 1/2 day tour of Ancient Rome and a 1/2 day tour of the Vatican, but leave the other half of those days free to explore on your own. People watching in a cafe in a lovely piazza can be just as rewarding as seeing the Sistine Chapel, again, in my opinion.

Do not think that the restaurants in guidebooks are the (only) way to go. Ok, I write for a couple of guidebooks so you may find this strange. But even though we writers suggest places that are of quality, they often become “tourist only” places after a while. It doesn’t mean they are bad, just maybe not as “authentic Italian” as before the book’s publication or as you might be expecting. Instead, search some blogs on Italy and you are bound to find lots of little gastronomic gems not frequented by “that guy with the backpack” and his followers (sorry, couldn’t help myself on that one).

Leave time for some rest. Even if you are taking it at a slower pace, you body has been jilted with jet lag, you are eating new and different foods and probably drinking a good amount of Italian wine. Do like the Italians and enjoy a “pisolino” (nap) or two. Italy won’t pass you by while you sleep and you will be more refreshed afterwards to “soak up the local atmosphere”.

If you are a workout fanatic, first know you will not be keeping your same regiment up while on vacation. It just doesn’t happen. But for some exercise, take it outside!. What better way to see real Italy than an early morning power walk? You are bound to come across many lively and intimate scenes (i.e. - best time to pass by a fish market, see the old men getting caffè in a bar, watch the parents taking there kids to school, see people setting up shop for the day, real life Italy!

I am sure if I had a bit more time this morning, I could come up with many more suggestions and hope to add to this list eventually. And I would love to hear from any of you out there with further recommendations.

Bottom line is trying to do too much in too little time = (Italian) Travel Suicide. Just don’t do it.

Chi sono?

8 anni fa...
I moved from California to Italy, married an (adorable) Italian boy, started a business and slowly but surely adjusted into Italian life. It's been fun, difficult, entertaining, frustrating - but above all, an incredible experience from a little seaside village overlooking the Mediterranean...